Natural ways to reduce fever in children

When one of my children has a fever, he or she looks downright pathetic. I call my family members and friends in search of the quickest natural ways to reduce fevers. Children just look so pitiful and pale when their temperatures are up.  

I know that a fever isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but sometimes it is important to get the fever in your child down. Fevers are the body’s natural defense against viruses and infections. However, they can be uncomfortable for the child and scary for the parent! 

That’s why I am sharing some of my favorite mom hacks for dealing with fevers. When the “village” is missing, the next best thing is finding  parenting help from moms who’ve been there.

Check out these natural home remedies to help reduce a fever.

Lukewarm washcloth

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My sister teasingly calls me the “sickly one.” I seemed to catch everything. What was worse was when my sister or brother got a mild illness.  They would pass it me and I would be down for the count.

When I was a kid, I remember my mom grabbing a wet washcloth and placing it on my forehead. This did the trick for me.

I don’t place the washcloth on my kid’s forehead, though. A lukewarm washcloth is so simple, but it also helps to gently bring the body’s core temperature down. I would gently wipe my child’s back and belly with the damp cloth. 

This is a good alternative if you do not want to use Tylenol or any other type of fever-reducing medicine.

The reason that I use a lukewarm washcloth is that it isn’t cold enough to give your child the shivers (which is counterintuitive) and causes less discomfort. *Please note that shivering is a body’s response to cold and is meant to raise body temperature in cold environments. You do not want to raise your child’s temperature when he or she has a fever. Your goal is to lower it!

Do NOT spread the love! The rule in our home is that MOMMY must not get sick. To prevent the bug from spreading I slather on my DIY Hand Sanitizer. 

Alternatively, you can give your child a warm bath. I like to add a few capfuls of this Baby Soothing Vapor Bath from Johnson and Johnson or drop in a few of my homemade eucalyptus shower steamers.

Sweat it out

I’m not sure if this is something that really works or not. I’ve heard from many people who practice this method when they have colds. They put on lots of layers and turn up the heat.

However, my kids always tend to get really cold whenever they have a fever. I’m the same way. Feeling like I can’t get warm is my signal to check my temperature because it is my telltale sign that I may have a fever myself. 

Eventually I “sweat it out” and the fever breaks. 

Wear wet socks to bed

Basically, you put wet socks on your child’s feet under thick wool socks to bed. This is the weirdest way I’ve heard to reduce a fever, but I can see how this idea is basically the same as a wet washcloth. It helps to lower the body’s temperature, which is what will help reduce the fever eventually.

It’s not that much different from how I slather Vicks VapoRub on my kids’ feet under socks to help with night time coughing. 

Drink lots of water

Something you’ll notice with fevers is that they are easy to reduce when you’re drinking lots of fluid. The problem is trying to get a young child to drink a ton of fluids. Sometimes adults, like me, don’t want to drink anything when they are under the weather. If you can get your kiddo to drink lots of water, this will help to reduce their fever.

My trick for getting toddlers and young children to drink Pedialyte or water is to use a large syringe (without a needle of course). I would have a glass of Pedialyte beside me while cuddling my toddler, then fill the large syringe with it and hold it up to his mouth. The novelty of it made it less of a struggle to get him to take a sip. It was also easy to hold both him and the fluid at the same time. Try it! 

I like to keep powdered Pedialyte on hand. That way if I need it, I don’t have to run to the store. I can easily mix up a batch. 

Related: My hack for giving toddlers their medicine without a fuss.

Lots of warm goodies

When I think of reducing fever, the last thing I would think of is warm stuff. However, things like soups and bone broth are both miracle workers in the fever-reducing department and provide necessary nutrients.

Reducing a fever naturally may take a combination of things. While you may want to get the fever down, keep in mind that it is your body’s natural way of fighting off illnesses as well.

Read: DIY Alcohol Based Germ Killing Hand Sanitizing Gel

If fever persists, don’t be shy about getting medical care! It only makes sense to call a medical professional when you have questions.

And now technology has come up with a way for busy moms to connect with a doctor online from the comfort of their own homes. This is a perfect solution for those times when leaving the house will cause more hardship and discomfort for your sick child.

I’ve partnered with LiveHealth Online and EmpowHer.com to share with my tech-savvy readers how 2-way video and telemedicine are saving busy moms time. Though I am being compensated, all opinions are my own.

Why spend hours online trying to ferret out the cause of your family member’s discomfort when you can hop online 24 hours a day and speak to a U.S. based Board Certified doctor? This is a great solution for things like the flu, sinus infection, colds, and pink eye…or a fever!

The most popular articles on this site are my sick kid caregiving tips, like my Stomach Bug Hacks and Coughing solutions articles. We moms are the managers of our households and our family’s health in most cases.

(I was raised by a single dad, myself!) The internet has made access to information and services readily available. The ability to talk to a doctor from our own homes in real-time is a game changer!  

Better yet, this is a perfect solution for moms who are sick themselves. I know firsthand how hard it is to be sick with kids when you have no help. My husband was overseas for months at a time. I parented through miscarriage and several illnesses. All while he was thousands of miles away. It was terrible.

See what the moms in the EmpowHer community said when they were asked about Health and Technology.

You may also enjoy:

Yummy Mixed Berry Electrolyte Rehydration Popsicles

Frozen Fractals Disney Inspired Electrolyte Pops

7 Handy Hacks for Caring for Kids with the Stomach Bug 

10 Ways to Help Relieve Night Time Coughs 

The Coolest Way to Fight a Fever

And don’t forget to disinfect your house! This is the homemade disinfecting spray I use to clean and sanitize after a bug.